How to Create a Multi-Source Report Item

Checkbox’s new and improved reporting module makes it easier than ever to view and analyze response data. You can even use multi-source report items to compare multiple questions side-by-side!

For example, we had a survey comparing Twitter post frequency to Facebook post frequency. The answer options for both questions were the same:

More than once per day
At least once per day
At least once per week
At least once per month
Less than once per month
Never

When it came time to analyze our data, we wanted to include a single item in our report that compared Twitter and Facebook post frequency for each possible answer option. To accomplish this, we built a multi-source item using the steps below:

1. Add a summary chart to your report. Bar, Column, and Line graphs work best visually for comparing survey questions. In this example, we selected Column Graph as our chart type.

2. On the Source Items tab of the item editor, select two or more questions from the box on the right and click the “Add Item” button.
This will move them into the box on the left.Note: make sure you are comparing two questions with the same number of answer choices. In fact, multi-source charts work best when the answer options for each question are the same.

3. Before exiting this tab, select a Primary Source from the drop-down at the bottom of the dialog. The Primary Source you choose will determine which answer choices appear on the x-axis of the graph.
If you do not select a Primary Source, both sets of answer choices will appear.

The answer choices for each source are being displayed because no Primary Source was selected.

In this example, since both of our questions have identical answer choices it doesn’t matter which source question we select as the Primary Source.

3. To show the chart legend, go to Appearance >> Legend in the item editor. Then select “Show Legend.”

4. Run your report and adjust additional appearance options, such as margins and font sizes, within the Appearance tab in the item editor.
You can toggle between sources by clicking each question in the legend.